Unique qualities and importance of interviews
Unlike the other forms of two-person communication, an interview possesses five distinctive qualities as described below:
Unbalanced
When compared to two-person communication, an interview involves an unbalanced time consumed while the conversation between the interviewer and the interviewee takes place. The two-person communication may entail the sharing of the available time equally. However, during interviews, the interviewees take 70 percent, whereas the interviewers use 30 percent of the available time. Even though the mode of interview dictates the time spent by every party involved, the interviewees usually take much time speaking than the interviewers.
Controlled
The interviewers are normally liable for the guidance of the interviews in the planned direction to realize the objectives. This implies that unlike in the two-person communication, the interviewers control the interviews. During the interviews, the quantity of control applied relies on the objective to be achieved via establishing an environment for communication and asking questions.
Structured
The two-person communication is hardly structured, as is the case with interviews. Interviews entail having visible progressions, proper preparations, and prior scheduling. Different from two-person communication, interviews have patiently explained objectives that necessitate certain actions.
Question and answer
The two-person communication does not have the question to answer quality, which is the nature of an interview. Most interviews have two, one, or many people who ask questions while the other individuals provide answers. Thus, interviews go an additional mile to help the involved individuals understand each other better, which is not the case with two-person communication. That is, the two-person communication hardly designates an individual the role of seeking answers from the respondent.
Goal drove
When compared to the two-person communication, interviews appear to be objective-driven. The two-person communication tends to realize certain things above the effortless trade of signs. However, such accomplishments appear not to be planned and focused. An interview has well-articulated goals that must be realized.
From the above assertions, it is clear that learning about interviews in this course is important as it helps the interviewee and the interviewer to understand what is required of them before, during, and after the interview sessions. For the interviewee, learning about interviews will help one to be well prepared for any kind of interview by learning how to respond to different questions being asked, develop an appropriate mood for the interview, and ask relevant questions to the interviewers.
Difference between open and closed questions
An open question in an interview signifies those that prompt and make it possible for the interviewees to respond in different approaches. Conversely, a closed question in an interview limits the range of rejoinders from the candidate undergoing the interview. Examples of open questions are:
- Describe the occasion when you had to work with a fraction of employees.
- What guided you to volunteer and work with the RPF (Retired Professors Fund)?
- How would you describe your job morals?
Examples of closed questions are:
- Are you eager to work during non- weekdays?
- In your previous job, what was the mainly difficult part?
- When and where did you attend the college?
According to Rolls (2007), behavioral questions are based on experience as developed around the skills and traits of the interviewee. However, hypothetical questions deal with the application of real-life situations as well as the understanding of the job requirements by the interviewee. The use of behavioral questions helps in the reduction of interviewee falsification, prevents personal impression from influencing the evaluation process, and eradicates misinterpretations of the interviewee’s past experiences.
Examples of behavioral questions are:
- What did you perform specifically in your previous work to contribute towards an optimistic team environment?
- Describe the most inventive job-related venture you have accomplished.
- With an example, share any problem you experienced and the way you managed to go about it.
Communication apprehension
Communication apprehension denotes personal nervousness and fear with the anticipated and actual communication engaging the other individual or people. It may mean a mental response to an assessment. However, CA is hardly about how individuals communicate but explain how speakers feel when communicating. Despite being nervous while addressing a class recently, my body adrenalin and the circulatory system budged to overdrive, thus, prepared me to communicate with utmost physical effectiveness.
The psychosomatic response became physical when the body reacted to the danger at hand. That is the fear of facing the audience. In preference to retreat due to fear, I stood and talked to my audience. The physical responses are no longer adapted to the temperament resulting from anxiety I encountered when it comes to communication apprehension.
To help an individual cope with the fear of social judgment after, during, and before the presentation, the mechanisms for managing the misguided efforts of the body must be developed. That is, a presenter must remain bold and should avoid being taken away by the audience, which may generate fear. It is likely to be possible since communication apprehension is entrenched in our minds. Though nervous, one can communicate well since CA is eventually linked to self-image. Therefore, remaining calm, controlling one’s emotions, and being focused could help an individual become successful when speaking to the audience despite being nervous.
Effective Area
- Before the interview, I felt somewhat nervous given that I was inadequately prepared to face the interviewer. Since it was my first experience, I was hardly aware of the type of interview questions to be asked and how the interview panel expected the interviewee to respond to such questions. Besides, I panicked since I arrived some minutes after the scheduled time. I was unable to bring all the required materials, never practiced, or gathered adequate information to prepare interview questions.
- During the interview process, I was relaxed and composed as a result of handshaking with the interviewers who made jokes while the interview was in progress. I became convinced and confident as I took the interview session as an opening moment as opposed to being an examination. Thus, I became anxious about what the interview results would be as I felt that I managed to respond to all that the interviewers expected from me.
- Following the interview, I felt that the interview results would be positive. Despite not being able to address all the questions, I believed that my response to the interview questions was satisfactory. I managed to articulate and clearly explain what was required in every question by supporting my arguments. I offered testimonies, statistics, contrasts, comparisons, and illustrations to back up the assertions I made.
Behavioral Area
Reference
Rolls, J. (2007). Public speaking made easy. Scarborough, NY: Thomson Nelson.